No one in the Owensboro Catholic football program is surprised the Aces are competing for a 2A state championship today. Ever since a nailbiting loss in the quarterfinals last year, the team has been focused on proving they have what it takes to claim Catholic’s first-ever title. Head Coach Jason Morris said if they can knock off tradition-rich Mayfield, the win would be for everyone who’s ever donned the Aces’ uniform.
Owensboro Catholic has looked mighty impressive throughout their 14-0 season. The Aces have outscored their opponents 673-179 (an average of 36 points per game), with most games hitting the running clock threshold of a 36-point lead before halftime. Even when the postseason came, Catholic continued to blow past opponents with ease — outscoring them 204-54 in 4 games.
The remarkable run isn’t something that developed out of thin air this season. The groundwork was laid over the last 3 years, when the Aces fell short in the state quarterfinals but got a little closer to winning each time — including being one play short of a victory last year against Lexington Christian Academy.
“There wasn’t a point in this season where something clicked. It literally goes back to the LCA game last year,” Morris said. “Our goal was to win the state championship, and we felt like we had the team to do it. We came up an inch short against LCA. It clicked last year, and this has just been kind of a continuation off of last season.”
The Aces weren’t satisfied with just getting past that regional game this year, as they dispatched Somerset 44-15 in the semifinals a week ago.
That win allowed Catholic to advance to their first championship game since 2010. They’ll take on a 2A powerhouse in Mayfield (12-1), which is riding a 10-game win streak after edging past Beechwood 31-28 on a last-second field goal last week.
Catholic is 0-4 in title games, having lost in 1997, 2004, 2005, and 2010.
Mayfield has won 12 state championships, including 4 straight from 2012-15. They’ve appeared in 12 of the last 15 championship games.
But history won’t matter when the Aces and Cardinals take the field today. It’s all up to the players on the gridiron, and there will certainly be some playmakers on both sides of the ball all game long.
Catholic’s clear star power is in the duo of quarterback Brady Atwell and receiver Tutt Carrico.
Atwell has completed 277 of 386 passes for 4,227 yards and 65 touchdowns with 6 interceptions this season. He’s also a threat when he leaves the pocket, leading the team with 58 carries for 657 yards and 13 rushing touchdowns.
Carrico has caught 84 passes for 1,587 yards and 27 scores. The 27 receiving touchdowns is one off the state record of 28. Carrico’s presence extends well beyond the offensive side of the ball. Defensively, he’s forced 4 fumbles and recovered 2 to go along with 6 interceptions, 1 of which was returned for a touchdown. He’s also a major threat on punt return, often picking up big yards after making the catch.
The Aces have plenty of other talent on offense, including a line that often provides Atwell plenty of time in the pocket. Other leading receivers are Noah Rhinerson (57 catches, 904 yards, 12 touchdowns), Waryn Ebelhar (46, 801, 13), and Deuce Sims (44, 544, 6).
Defensively, Vince Carrico leads the way with 185 tackles (57 solo), with 13.5 for loss and 4 sacks. The team has recorded 75.5 tackles for loss and 28 sacks. The Aces have also recorded 17 interceptions (2 returned for touchdowns) and 15 fumble recoveries (1 returned).
Mayfield’s defense similarly has wreaked havoc on the opposition this season, including recording 26 sacks. They’ve recorded 18 interceptions (Diego Torres has 4 and 3 players have 3) and returned 3 for scores. They’ve recovered 11 fumbles (1 returned for a touchdown). Ian Williams leads the team with 109 tackles (59 solo).
The Cardinals also have their own dominant 1-2 punch, though it’s a more balanced attack from quarterback Zane Cartwright and running back Ju Ju Starks.
Cartwright has completed 137 of 191 passes for 2,306 yards and 32 touchdowns with 2 interceptions. Xavier Biggs (29 catches, 542 yards, 9 touchdowns) is the leading receiver, followed by Braden Morris (30, 509, 7) and Mak Hoover (25, 421, 7).
Starks, meanwhile, has 174 carries for 1,533 yards and 29 touchdowns on the ground.
“They’ve got really good athletes all over the field,” Morris said. “They love to run the football and throw screens. Defensively, they just overwhelm you with how hard they play. It’s just gonna be two great teams who play extremely hard battling it out for four quarters.”
Morris said a win would be meaningful to the entire Catholic community.
“Owensboro Catholic football is important and has been so close so many times throughout the years,” he said. “This one, if we were to win it, would be for everyone who’s played here before. That’s what we always talk about, it’s that togetherness that we have within our Catholic community. We’re playing for each other, but also for everyone who’s played before us.”
Kickoff is set for 3 p.m. CST at Kroger Field in Lexington. The audio broadcast can be found on Owensboro Catholic Sports Network and KHSAA.net. A video broadcast can be found on KHSAA.net (subscription required).
Follow @owensborosports on X (formerly Twitter) for live updates during the game.
